'It's time for a ceasefire in Gaza' Tajani tells paper

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 12 - Italian Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called for a ceasefire in Gaza in an interview to Milan daily Corriere della Sera published on Monday.
    "Our line is very clear", Tajani told the newspaper.
    "We ask Israel - which has right to defend itself, as we have always said - to stop attacks that lead to a very high number of civilian victims, which is in contrast with international law.
    "There is a path in place, there are mediations, we are against any act that further raises tension and involves innocents.
    "It's time for a ceasefire, as (US President Joe) Biden has just said, it's not too late", the foreign minister told the newspaper in the interview which focused on the war in Gaza.
    To reach a ceasefire, "along with diplomacy, and the plan Food for Gaza", an initiative Italy has spearheaded to get food aid to Palestinian civilians with UN agencies FAO and WFP, with the objective of a two-State solution, "we are ready to offer our forces, starting with the Carabinieri" police for which "we have already received requests of availability, for a mission to control the construction of a Palestinian State, led by Arab countries".
    Tajani also spoke about the war in Ukraine, in particular about attacks in Russian territory: "We support Ukraine without ifs and buts, we can understand their will to defend themselves also by counterattacking, but we are not at war with Russia.
    "The weapons we provided can't be used to attack Russia on its territory", noted Tajani, adding that he will officially discuss the issue with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba at an EU Foreign Affairs Council scheduled to take place later this month.
    "We surely will not send our soldiers to fight and we urge all to (exercise) maximum caution", concluded Tajani. (ANSA).